NCJ Number
70294
Journal
Educational Research Quarterly Volume: 4 Issue: 3 Dated: (Fall 1978) Pages: 69-80
Date Published
1978
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study investigated the relationship of 37 delinquent behaviors to socioeconomic status (SES), future educational and occupational plans, and certain school-related variables.
Abstract
All male students, 529, of a high school that was typified by homogenously middle-income students, were administered questionnaires regarding occupational and educational background, future expectations both for education and occupation, number of hours spent doing homework, grade point average, delinquent behaviors committed, and a number of demographic items. This information (received from 511 of the students) was analyzed to discover whether the effect of future plans (social prospects) as stated by juveniles is as great as the effects of alternative variables, especially those concerned with education; if an alternative variable were to nullify the effects of social prospects (occupational plans), then the social prospects relationship to juvenile delinquency could be considered spurious. Findings showed the relationship between expectations regarding occupation and college attendance as weak and accounting for practically no variance concerning delinquency. Yet academic participation variables continued to show moderate significant associations with delinquency when expected occupation was operative. On the basis of information collected, one set of variables (those pertaining to youth culture) continued to show relationships to delinquency similar to those shown for academic involvement variables. However, the issue was whether school performance was important as a variable when future aspirations were taken into account and once social class was held constant. Findings indicated that performance, per se, was far more important in the particular setting than were aspirations for a particular type of occupation or for college attendance. This relationship transpired in a setting where relatively high educational expectations and occupational expectations were realistic and where they could be especially important if they were indeed crucial variables. In spite of the future advantaged position of these high school students, the immediate participation in school appeared to have greater association with delinquency than did any measure of articulation presented. Supporting tables and 16 references are provided. (Author abstract modified)